What happened on January 12 ?

Tanzania - Zanzibar Revolution Day

In 2001: A Space Odyssey, the fictional computer HAL becomes operational on January 12. In the movie by Stanley Kubrick, HAL was "born" in 1992, while in the book by Arthur C. Clarke the same event occurs in 1997.

In the television series The X-Files, the third season episode Syzygy, has two girls, Terri & Magi, both born on January 12, 1979. Strange astrological properties with 3+ celestial bodies in alignment gives them great power which they use to kill off several of their high school classmates on their birthday in 1996.

In USA's Monk, the 4th season episode of MR. MONK AND MRS. MONK (#T-2351) indicates that Monk spilt something on January 12, 1999 during an earthquake. He stated "Earthquakes count, I don't make the rules."